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Eagles-Steelers: What we learned

The Eagles are 3-0 after they spanked the Steelers, 34-3, on Sunday. Here are 10 things that we learned.

The Eagles are 3-0 after they spanked the Steelers, 34-3, on Sunday. Here are 10 things that we learned:

1. It's time to raise expectations. Maybe the Steelers aren't really that good. It's difficult to say with any certainty that they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, as many had identified them entering the game. Their defense appeared suspect, particularly against the pass. Pittsburgh still has only one sack this season. And when William Gay, who seemed to have 26 penalties against the Eagles, is supposed to be your best player in the secondary you know you have issues. But for now, there's little reason to lessen a dominating victory. The Steelers entered 2-0. They pasted the Redskins and eked by the Bengals – another team that had title aspirations. They have a Hall of Fame-bound quarterback-receiver combo in Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown and the league's leading rusher in DeAngelo Williams and the Eagles held them to a paltry three points. Three points! The Steelers also have a run defense among the best in the NFL. They have a long-established defensive system that can at times compensate for what Pittsburgh lacks in talent. But Doug Pederson outcoached defensive coordinator Keith Butler. He flip-flopped his play-calling and attacked the Steelers early with an assortment of screens and short passes. When those tosses gave the offense cushion, Carson Wentz was able to have more time in the pocket and throw farther downfield. And when he kept hitting on throw after throw, and the Eagles started to separate, Pederson pounded the Steelers on the ground behind a couple of unsung running backs. It was a near-perfect game plan on both sides of the ball.

The Eagles last were 3-0 two years ago, so if you're looking for caution, there it is. That Chip Kelly team went 7-6 the rest of the way and missed the playoffs. But those Eagles never had a win this good. They were flawed – at quarterback and on defense -- as was the coach's system. The Eagles are a long way from the postseason and any mention of – well, there's no reason to look further – but they are certainly better than a five-win team. That was my preseason prediction, and I was dead wrong.

2. Carson Wentz is the real deal, Part III. Each game he does something that makes you go, "wow," and each time, it's different. There was a small-window toss in the opener vs. the Browns. There was the conductor-of-a-symphony-like opening drive vs. the Bears. And there was the improvisational schoolyard scramble and pitch to Darren Sproles for an electric 73-yard touchdown. Here's the scary thing – scary for opposing defenses, that is: We've yet to see the full arsenal of young Wentz. He will improve. He's just three games into his career, after all. But the Eagles haven't even tapped into his running ability. They don't need to at this point. And why would you expose him to further harm? But Wentz has that kind of athleticism, and there will come a time when Pederson will need it on the ground.

He's a thrower first, though. His final numbers were excellent – 23 of 31 for 301 yards and two touchdowns – and he's yet to turn the ball over. The statistics could have been better. Trey Burton dropped two passes. Dorial Green-Beckham dropped another. But nothing has fazed him. Wentz doesn't have much at receiver on the outside – the group accounted for just 10 catches for 74 yards vs. the Steelers. Jordan Matthews had only two catches for 19 yards, although one was for a score, out of the slot. Tight end Zach Ertz was out for the second straight week. And it didn't matter. Wentz typically knows where the weakness of a defense is on any given play and he attacks. He will struggle at some point. Every quarterback does. But even when he does, the Eagles know they have a quarterback who will bounce back.

3. Jim Schwartz can scheme. The Eagles defensive coordinator was running some Jedi-like mind tricks on the Steelers. I have to rewatch the coaches film to get a better idea of how he kept Roethlisberger in check, but he seemed to be almost willing to give Brown (12 catches for 140 yards, or 11.7 yards per) whatever he wanted underneath in man coverage as long as that meant the rest of the Steelers receivers didn't burn his defense. There were a few shaky early moments when Eli Rogers and Sammie Coates toasted rookie cornerback Jalen Mills, who had a tough day. But aside from those two grabs – 32 and 41 yards – Steelers receivers not named Brown caught just 10 passes for 43 yards. And there was almost nothing Pittsburgh could do on the ground. Williams was held to eight carries for 21 yards (2.6 per).

Schwartz can do no wrong so far. The Eagles defense has allowed just 20 points through three games. It's the first time since 1992 that the team has allowed 14 points or fewer in each of its first three games. The defense has forced six turnovers (more on that later) and recorded 10 sacks. Schwartz has raised some eyebrows by limiting Mychal Kendricks and by taking middle linebacker Jordan Hicks off the field for Stephen Tulloch on occasion. Tulloch played 11 snaps to Kendricks' nine vs. the Steelers. The Steelers stayed mostly in "11" personnel, thus keeping the base-package-playing Kendricks off the field. But now is not the time to second-guess Schwartz. He has done a masterful job.

4. Doug Pederson has a knack for this head-coaching thing. I wrote more extensively about the Eagles coach for my newspaper column, but it deserves some repeating: Pederson, who became the first coach in team history to win his first three games, has been impressive. He has devised game plans that attack defensive weaknesses, he has schemed to his offense's strengths, and he has dialed up calls that deceptively play off earlier formations and plays. His game management has been on point. When the Steelers failed to convert a third down late in the second quarter, Pederson ran to the sideline official in a dead sprint to call a timeout – his first of the first half -- with 1:46 left. Most coaches would have done the same, obviously, but to see Pederson's reaction is to reinforce his enthusiastic involvement in the game.

5. The offensive line delivered its best performance of the season. There has been reason for concern – and there will be when/if Lane Johnson serves his 10-game suspension. But the unit had a dominating day. Pass protection has been solid for the season, but Wentz wasn't sacked and had plenty of time in the pocket on Sunday. Run blocking had been another story, but Jason Peters, Allen Barbre, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks and Johnson wore down the Steelers as the game progressed. Maybe Pittsburgh's defense tossed in the towel in the fourth quarter, but there were multiple running lanes for Eagles running backs. Johnson will learn the fate of his appeal on Oct. 4. If he loses, he'll start his suspension immediately and miss the Lions game on Oct. 9. The Eagles will then shift Barbre from left guard to right tackle and likely insert Stephen Wisniewski at left guard.

6. Wendell Smallwood should play more. The rookie running back missed most of training camp and the preseason with a quadriceps injury. So it was difficult to gauge his ability. He looked fast and elusive during the spring, but those practices were more like glorified two-touch than football. Ryan Mathews' apparent ankle injury might have paved the way for Smallwood's Sunday workload (17 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown), but you could tell early in the season that Pederson wasn't going to bury the rookie. And it has paid off, and should provide dividends down the road. His initial burst has been noticeable. He has above-average cutback ability. Even when Mathews returns, he might have to share more of his workload. Kenjon Barner also has made the most of his chances. He rushed eight times for 42 yards and a score. The handwringing over running-back depth now seems all for naught. A lot of that had to do with the injury-prone Mathews, and it has obviously played out that way. But Smallwood and Barner are capable on the ground. Sproles might not be the runner he once was, but he's still a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, as evidenced by his six-catch, 128-yard receiving day. Credit also goes to Pederson, who has managed to find ways to effectively use Sproles.

7. Turnovers tell the story. The Eagles are the only team in the NFL without a turnover. They are second behind the Vikings (plus-8) in takeaway-giveaway (plus-6). It's no secret then that the Eagles and Vikings are the only undefeated teams in the NFC. Turnovers can be fluky. But good teams secure the football because they have smart quarterbacks and because they are well coached. And good teams generate turnovers because they have opportunistic defenders who play fast and loose within the confines of scheme and because they are well coached. It's a pretty simple concept.

8. The secondary can ball-hawk. Safety Rodney McLeod had the game's only interception, a late one on an end-zone jump ball. But there were about a half-dozen other passes in which Eagles defensive backs got their hands on the ball. Should every one have been caught? No. But when you're around the ball – as much as Malcolm Jenkins and Nolan Carroll were on Sunday – good things are bound to happen. Jenkins was everywhere. His pass recognition on short run route concepts might be unparalleled for a NFL safety. He can roam the back end, too. Carroll had his best performance of the season. I'm not sure if he surrendered a pass of more than 10 yards all game. Slot corner Ron Brooks kept the middle of field covered. Mills took his lumps. Brown will do that to the best of corners. But he battled and made sure to tackle on underneath routes. He might lack the necessary long speed on the outside, but he will grow from Sunday.

9. The defensive line did what it's paid to do. The Eagles have a boatload of cash invested in their front four -- as they should if they want Schwartz to make his wide-nine, 4-3 scheme go. And they have yet to disappoint. There were a few third downs when they couldn't get home without the benefit of a blitz. But Schwartz didn't panic and the pressures and sacks started to pile up. Fletcher Cox was the first to deliver a sack of Roethlisberger. Bennie Logan had one. Brandon Graham, who has been outstanding all season, picked up his third of the season. And Cox notched sack No. 2 and forced a fumble in the third quarter to all but squash the Steelers' hopes for a comeback. The front has consistently gotten stronger as each game has progressed. It's a long season and the front will need more production from Vinny Curry and the other reserves, but you can't slight the group at all.

10. And some leftovers: Tight end Zach Ertz (displaced rib) said after the game that he expects to be ready for the Lions game. He has yet to be cleared by doctors, though. … The Eagles lead the NFL in time of possession (36:47) and point differential (21.7 per game). … Green-Beckham seems to be getting a little more comfortable in the offense. He had a strong 19-yard catch on third down. … Brent Celek finished with three catches for 61 yards and moved into fourth in Eagles history with 375 career receptions.